New Congress: Lee says Balance Trimming and Spending ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Even though he'll be in the minority in the Congress and in the New York caucus, incoming Republican congressman Chris Lee says he's looking forward to getting to work.

Lee will be representing the 26th district, which runs between Greece and the eastern suburbs of Buffalo. He's taking over for Republican congressman Tom Reynolds, who retired.

Lee says he ran for congress because he wanted to trim government spending, so that debt wouldn't be passed on to future generations.

"The reason I ran was my three-year-old son. I'm concerned about his future, and the fact that government, even today, continues to think the solution is to spend more of taxpayers' dollars. And we're spending dollars that we don't have, and that's the part that concerns me, so I'm more focused on trying to trim government to get in line with what our revenues are."

Lee says he also wants to reform taxes in the U.S. to allow businesses to keep more of what they make, and reinvest it.
But he says even as he's advocating cutting spending, he recognizes that investment is needed to drag the country out of its recession.

Lee says he wants to see targeted investment in infrastructure, and in incentives for students to take on subjects like science an engineering.

The congressman-elect heads to Washington on Saturday. He, his wife, and three-year-old son will commute back and forth between Clarence and D.C., to minimize disruption to family life.

Lee will be sworn in, in a mass swearing in ceremony on Tuesday. His Washington office will have an open house that day, and then he'll celebrate privately with family. The congressman-elect will also be hosting district open houses in Buffalo and Greece on January 24. The Williamsville district office at 325 Essjay Road will be from 9 a.m. to noon, and the 1577 West Ridge Road district office will be open from 1 to 4 p.m.

Click the "Listen" link to hear Rachel Ward's full interview with Lee. © Copyright 2010, WXXI